The annual elite event in Linares, Spain last month resulted in a triumph for Veselin Topalov. It was his last event before his April world championship match in his native Bulgaria against India's Vishwanathan Anand and augurs well for an exciting showdown. Despite having to hold in reserve his greatest opening weapons for that match, Topalov's style of no-holds-barred chess was enough to outscore his opposition at Linares. Last year's winner, Alexander Grischuk of Russia, was actually equal on points and ahead on tie-break going into the final round, having just beaten Topalov when the latter took one risk too many. But the final round saw Topalov defeat the solid Israeli veteran Boris Gelfand, while Grischuk could only draw with Spaniard Francisco Vallejo Pons. Final scores: Topalov 6½/10, Grischuk 6, Levon Aronian (Armenia) 5½, Gelfand, Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan) & Vallejo 4.
Today's game is from the second round at Linares and features a subtle treatment of a standard Isolated Queen's Pawn position by Grischuk playing White against Gelfand.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nbd7 9.Qe2 a6 10.a4 cxd4
White's last having prevented 10...b5 and 11... Bb7, Black exchanges pawns to leave White with an isolated d-pawn – a common result of the Nimzo-Indian Defence. As compensation for the weak pawn and Black control of the d5 square, White gets more space, a knight outpost on e5 and kingside attacking opportunities. 11.exd4 Nb6 12.Bd3 Nbd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Qe4 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Ne5 Bd7
White has forced the dark square weaknesses in Black's kingside that are typical of an IQP position, and here was a chance for Black to return the dark squared bishop to the defence with 16...Bf8. 17.Qf3 Qe7 18.Be4 Bc6 19.Bxd5! ---
A very astute decision. Removing a defender of the dark squares, White leaves his opponent with a powerfully centralised bishop. But he has assessed that his attack has the better prospects as the bishop on d5 can't participate in the defence. 19.--- Bxd5 20.Qf4 f5
Relieving pressure on f7 and f6 at the cost of further loosening the kingside pawns. White immediately looks to target g6. 21.h4! Rac8 22.Rac1 Bd6 23.Rfe1 Qf6
White's attack is not diminished by 23 ... Bb4 24 Red1 Bb3 25 Rxc8 Rxc8 26 Rc1, e.g. 26 ... Rxc1 27 Qxc1 Qd8 28 Qe3 Bxa4? 29 Nc6! winning a piece as 29 ...Bxc6?? 30 Qxe6+ forces mate. 24.Rc3 Rxc3 25.bxc3 Rc8 26.Qg3 Be4 27.h5 Bxe5
A forced exchange to defend g6. Now opposite-coloured bishops increase White's dark square dominance. 28.dxe5 Qf7 29.Re3 Kh8 30.Qh4 gxh5
With the rook poised to come to h3 this capture was necessary to keep the h-file closed: e.g. 30...Kg8 31 hxg6 hxg6 32 Rh3 Qh7 33 Qg3 Rd8 34 Bg5 Rd1+ 35 Kh2 and White wins the queen as 36 Bf6 followed by 37 Rh8+ cannot be allowed. 31.Rg3 Bd5 32.a5! ---
The immediate 32 Bg7+?! Qxg7 (32... Kg8? 33 Bf6+ leads to mate) 33 Rxg7 Kxg7 might allow Black to set up a fortress with B + R vs Q. The move played beautifully puts Black in zugzwang, as after any move the same exchange will result in the loss of a vital pawn and no fortress e.g 32....Bc4 33 Bg7+ Qxg7 34 Rxg7 Kxg7 35 Qe7+ and 36 Qxb7. 32.--- f4 33.Rg7 Qf5
Again 33 ...Qxg7 will lead to the loss of the f4 pawn and eventually the game. 34.Qe7! Qe4 35.Qf6
Not the efficient mate in three that is the answer to today's diagram, but forcing mate all the same after a few spite checks, so Black resigns.
Topalov victory augurs exciting showdown
Problem: White to play and mate in three.
The annual elite event in Linares, Spain last month resulted in a triumph for Veselin Topalov. It was his last event before his April world championship match in his native Bulgaria against India's Vishwanathan Anand and augurs well for an exciting showdown. Despite having to hold in reserve his greatest opening weapons for that match, Topalov's style of no-holds-barred chess was enough to outscore his opposition at Linares. Last year's winner, Alexander Grischuk of Russia, was actually equal on points and ahead on tie-break going into the final round, having just beaten Topalov when the latter took one risk too many. But the final round saw Topalov defeat the solid Israeli veteran Boris Gelfand, while Grischuk could only draw with Spaniard Francisco Vallejo Pons. Final scores: Topalov 6½/10, Grischuk 6, Levon Aronian (Armenia) 5½, Gelfand, Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan) & Vallejo 4.
Today's game is from the second round at Linares and features a subtle treatment of a standard Isolated Queen's Pawn position by Grischuk playing White against Gelfand.
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 Bb4
4.e3 O-O
5.Bd3 d5
6.Nf3 c5
7.O-O dxc4
8.Bxc4 Nbd7
9.Qe2 a6
10.a4 cxd4
White's last having prevented 10...b5 and 11... Bb7, Black exchanges pawns to leave White with an isolated d-pawn – a common result of the Nimzo-Indian Defence. As compensation for the weak pawn and Black control of the d5 square, White gets more space, a knight outpost on e5 and kingside attacking opportunities.
11.exd4 Nb6
12.Bd3 Nbd5
13.Nxd5 Nxd5
14.Qe4 g6
15.Bh6 Re8
16.Ne5 Bd7
White has forced the dark square weaknesses in Black's kingside that are typical of an IQP position, and here was a chance for Black to return the dark squared bishop to the defence with 16...Bf8.
17.Qf3 Qe7
18.Be4 Bc6
19.Bxd5! ---
A very astute decision. Removing a defender of the dark squares, White leaves his opponent with a powerfully centralised bishop. But he has assessed that his attack has the better prospects as the bishop on d5 can't participate in the defence.
19.--- Bxd5
20.Qf4 f5
Relieving pressure on f7 and f6 at the cost of further loosening the kingside pawns. White immediately looks to target g6.
21.h4! Rac8
22.Rac1 Bd6
23.Rfe1 Qf6
White's attack is not diminished by 23 ... Bb4 24 Red1 Bb3 25 Rxc8 Rxc8 26 Rc1, e.g. 26 ... Rxc1 27 Qxc1 Qd8 28 Qe3 Bxa4? 29 Nc6! winning a piece as 29 ...Bxc6?? 30 Qxe6+ forces mate.
24.Rc3 Rxc3
25.bxc3 Rc8
26.Qg3 Be4
27.h5 Bxe5
A forced exchange to defend g6. Now opposite-coloured bishops increase White's dark square dominance.
28.dxe5 Qf7
29.Re3 Kh8
30.Qh4 gxh5
With the rook poised to come to h3 this capture was necessary to keep the h-file closed: e.g. 30...Kg8 31 hxg6 hxg6 32 Rh3 Qh7 33 Qg3 Rd8 34 Bg5 Rd1+ 35 Kh2 and White wins the queen as 36 Bf6 followed by 37 Rh8+ cannot be allowed.
31.Rg3 Bd5
32.a5! ---
The immediate 32 Bg7+?! Qxg7 (32... Kg8? 33 Bf6+ leads to mate) 33 Rxg7 Kxg7 might allow Black to set up a fortress with B + R vs Q. The move played beautifully puts Black in zugzwang, as after any move the same exchange will result in the loss of a vital pawn and no fortress e.g 32....Bc4 33 Bg7+ Qxg7 34 Rxg7 Kxg7 35 Qe7+ and 36 Qxb7.
32.--- f4
33.Rg7 Qf5
Again 33 ...Qxg7 will lead to the loss of the f4 pawn and eventually the game.
34.Qe7! Qe4
35.Qf6
Not the efficient mate in three that is the answer to today's diagram, but forcing mate all the same after a few spite checks, so Black resigns.
1-0
Solution: 1 Rg8+! Rxg8 (1...Kxg8 2 Qg7#) 2 Qf6+ Rg7 3 Qxg7#.